Jamie DeBree's Blog, page 34
October 1, 2012
On Vacations, Older Pets & Stress
Prompt o' the Week: A woman leaves a party in
distress, not even stopping for her coat on a cold winter night. She
hurries along the sidewalk in heels, hot tears on her cheeks threatening
to freeze as they fall. One car stops to offer her a ride, but it's a
lone man inside, and she knows better. Then another car pulls over, and a
couple asks if they can help...
My impending vacation to Florida is stressing me out. Not actually
going there and having a good time, of course, but having to leave my
older dog who has been getting progressively worse health-wise over the
past few weeks. He's 14, which is a perfectly respectable age for a dog
(esp. half Doberman - they have a normal span of about 8 yrs). He's got
cataracts/failing eyesight, hearing that pops in and out, bad joints,
cancerous tumors, and still happily begs for ice from the freezer
several times per day. He occasionally has trouble getting up and down
the back stairs, and the supplements I give him with each meal are
pretty close to the only things that keep life livable for him. I make
minor adjustments to his care on an almost daily basis, depending on how
he's doing that day.
And in a week, I'm going to leave him and our other dog in the care of my parents for six days.
I'm not saying my parents aren't perfectly capable of taking care
of the dogs - they've done it before, and they look after the house too
so it's not sitting empty while we're gone. It's a winning situation all
the way around. But I'm a control freak, and that means I tend to try
to control even the things I really have no control over - like how
Gabriel will do while I'm gone. Needless to say, I've been stressing a
*lot* over him for the last several weeks, on bad days wondering if I
should just put him down, on good days hoping against hope that he'll
make it through our vacation so Lucy has a doggie companion while we're
gone. Everything from how to dole out and store their supplements to
making sure all their food is mixed up and ready before we leave...and
yes, even instructions and payment options for the vet should it be
necessary.
I admit, this is one of the reasons I very rarely travel. I hate
leaving my dogs. Honestly, it wouldn't matter if the best vet on the
planet was personally petsitting for me - I'd still be worried. Because
you know that know one can possibly take as good of care of them as I
can (seriously, look up "control freak" in the dictionary).
Lest you worry that I won't enjoy the vacation, fear not. Once I
leave, I'll be fine. I know there's nothing I can do from that point
until I get home, so I'm pretty good at just blocking it all out and
focusing on where I'm at and what I'm doing at the time. And I don't
normally stress quite this badly...but Gabe's mortality is right "in my
face" at the moment, and that's making it worse.
So if I seem a little flaky and/or scatterbrained lately, that's
why. Stress can be a debilitating thing, and most of the time, I simply
refuse to let things get to me (and it works well - I'm pretty
strong-willed, if you hadn't noticed). My pets and the few people very
close to me are the big exceptions to that, unfortunately or
fortunately, depending on how you look at it.
As I said though - I'll be fine once I'm on the plane. Being a
"live in the moment" type person means I suck at documenting vacations
through photos, but I'm excellent at leaving things behind and focusing
on the "now".
So now that you've had your daily dose of "happy" from me this
Monday morning (and I've gotten all that off my chest, which makes me
feel a bit better), on to the writing-related news.
[image error]
Last Friday/Saturday, I was on a serious *roll*. Gabe was doing
well, we weren't completely focused on the shed thing, and I got three
covers designed and done, a short revised and sent to the editor, Rock Me, Stalk Me
finally formatted for print *and uploaded* (see print cover above), and cover art purchased for one more short story. I
can't tell you how good it feels to finally be catching up on my
business "to do" list. "Awesome" doesn't quite cut it. So even though I
skipped out on a lot of good work time in the evenings last week to
watch TV premieres (hey, the well needs refilling somehow!), I made a
ton of progress. Yay!
This week I have a bunch more stuff I want to get done with only
five more days until I'm on a 2 week hiatus from the day job (6 days
gone, but 10 more days just home - perfect). I haven't taken 2 weeks off
at one time from the day job *ever* (I'm not even exaggerating there,
sadly), so to say I'm excited is an understatement.
On the list for this week:
- Finish up at least one, possibly two short serial stories in progress
- Cover art for two more books
- Post submissions call for the winter BSB anthology
- Write an extra scene to schedule for the two other serial stories for when I'm on vacation
- Make up extra dog food daily so it's all ready and in the freezer
for vacation (Lucy's food must be made ahead, due to her special
dietary needs)
- Write up dog care instructions for my parents
- Order and install new dog gate inside the front door (long story)
- Complete a big last-minute project for the day job (isn't that always the way it goes?)
- Whine about the fact that my new Kindle Paperwhite won't arrive
until the *day* we leave, so it will sit home in the box until I get
back, dang it.
Oh look - I can check that last one off already!
Alrighty then - this is rambly enough. Here's to a good, productive week for us all...eh?
distress, not even stopping for her coat on a cold winter night. She
hurries along the sidewalk in heels, hot tears on her cheeks threatening
to freeze as they fall. One car stops to offer her a ride, but it's a
lone man inside, and she knows better. Then another car pulls over, and a
couple asks if they can help...
My impending vacation to Florida is stressing me out. Not actually
going there and having a good time, of course, but having to leave my
older dog who has been getting progressively worse health-wise over the
past few weeks. He's 14, which is a perfectly respectable age for a dog
(esp. half Doberman - they have a normal span of about 8 yrs). He's got
cataracts/failing eyesight, hearing that pops in and out, bad joints,
cancerous tumors, and still happily begs for ice from the freezer
several times per day. He occasionally has trouble getting up and down
the back stairs, and the supplements I give him with each meal are
pretty close to the only things that keep life livable for him. I make
minor adjustments to his care on an almost daily basis, depending on how
he's doing that day.
And in a week, I'm going to leave him and our other dog in the care of my parents for six days.
I'm not saying my parents aren't perfectly capable of taking care
of the dogs - they've done it before, and they look after the house too
so it's not sitting empty while we're gone. It's a winning situation all
the way around. But I'm a control freak, and that means I tend to try
to control even the things I really have no control over - like how
Gabriel will do while I'm gone. Needless to say, I've been stressing a
*lot* over him for the last several weeks, on bad days wondering if I
should just put him down, on good days hoping against hope that he'll
make it through our vacation so Lucy has a doggie companion while we're
gone. Everything from how to dole out and store their supplements to
making sure all their food is mixed up and ready before we leave...and
yes, even instructions and payment options for the vet should it be
necessary.
I admit, this is one of the reasons I very rarely travel. I hate
leaving my dogs. Honestly, it wouldn't matter if the best vet on the
planet was personally petsitting for me - I'd still be worried. Because
you know that know one can possibly take as good of care of them as I
can (seriously, look up "control freak" in the dictionary).
Lest you worry that I won't enjoy the vacation, fear not. Once I
leave, I'll be fine. I know there's nothing I can do from that point
until I get home, so I'm pretty good at just blocking it all out and
focusing on where I'm at and what I'm doing at the time. And I don't
normally stress quite this badly...but Gabe's mortality is right "in my
face" at the moment, and that's making it worse.
So if I seem a little flaky and/or scatterbrained lately, that's
why. Stress can be a debilitating thing, and most of the time, I simply
refuse to let things get to me (and it works well - I'm pretty
strong-willed, if you hadn't noticed). My pets and the few people very
close to me are the big exceptions to that, unfortunately or
fortunately, depending on how you look at it.
As I said though - I'll be fine once I'm on the plane. Being a
"live in the moment" type person means I suck at documenting vacations
through photos, but I'm excellent at leaving things behind and focusing
on the "now".
So now that you've had your daily dose of "happy" from me this
Monday morning (and I've gotten all that off my chest, which makes me
feel a bit better), on to the writing-related news.
[image error]
Last Friday/Saturday, I was on a serious *roll*. Gabe was doing
well, we weren't completely focused on the shed thing, and I got three
covers designed and done, a short revised and sent to the editor, Rock Me, Stalk Me
finally formatted for print *and uploaded* (see print cover above), and cover art purchased for one more short story. I
can't tell you how good it feels to finally be catching up on my
business "to do" list. "Awesome" doesn't quite cut it. So even though I
skipped out on a lot of good work time in the evenings last week to
watch TV premieres (hey, the well needs refilling somehow!), I made a
ton of progress. Yay!
This week I have a bunch more stuff I want to get done with only
five more days until I'm on a 2 week hiatus from the day job (6 days
gone, but 10 more days just home - perfect). I haven't taken 2 weeks off
at one time from the day job *ever* (I'm not even exaggerating there,
sadly), so to say I'm excited is an understatement.
On the list for this week:
- Finish up at least one, possibly two short serial stories in progress
- Cover art for two more books
- Post submissions call for the winter BSB anthology
- Write an extra scene to schedule for the two other serial stories for when I'm on vacation
- Make up extra dog food daily so it's all ready and in the freezer
for vacation (Lucy's food must be made ahead, due to her special
dietary needs)
- Write up dog care instructions for my parents
- Order and install new dog gate inside the front door (long story)
- Complete a big last-minute project for the day job (isn't that always the way it goes?)
- Whine about the fact that my new Kindle Paperwhite won't arrive
until the *day* we leave, so it will sit home in the box until I get
back, dang it.
Oh look - I can check that last one off already!
Alrighty then - this is rambly enough. Here's to a good, productive week for us all...eh?
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
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| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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September 28, 2012
Recommended Read: Listen to the Leaves
Yeah, yeah...I'm flogging my own book today. But I only have one
story in it - the rest are all by other authors that I absolutely
recommend you check out (after all, I compiled the anthology). So let me
tell you a bit about what's inside - you can read the official release
notice on the Snake Bites blog (and that includes purchase links).
[image error]
This is the most multicultural collection we've put together yet,
with only a couple of stories from the US. The rest are from Canada, the
UK, the Philippines and even Romania. One author's native home is
Scotland, though she lives in Canada. All the stories are in English,
though a most of the authors are not American English speakers which
means you'll encounter some different usage and spelling than you're
used to seeing here in the states. Could we have edited that out? Sure,
and in some spots we did for clarity. But for the most part, I generally
prefer to leave it as written as much as possible, because I enjoy the
different cadences and phrasing that non-US writers sometimes
choose/prefer.
In this anthology, all the stories are centered around one common
theme - the girl on the cover and the leaves she's surrounded by. There
are several genres covered within, and we've also included a few stories
with a more literary bent as well as some poetic prose (which, if you
haven't read much of, you really should - it's beautiful).
Whether you read merely to escape life for awhile, or to gain a
different perspective or both, I'd encourage you to pick up a copy and
broaden your reading horizons. I hope it will be as pleasant an
experience for you to lose yourself in these stories for a little while
as has been for me.
I'll leave you with an excerpt from my own story in the collection, Lullaby:
story in it - the rest are all by other authors that I absolutely
recommend you check out (after all, I compiled the anthology). So let me
tell you a bit about what's inside - you can read the official release
notice on the Snake Bites blog (and that includes purchase links).
[image error]
This is the most multicultural collection we've put together yet,
with only a couple of stories from the US. The rest are from Canada, the
UK, the Philippines and even Romania. One author's native home is
Scotland, though she lives in Canada. All the stories are in English,
though a most of the authors are not American English speakers which
means you'll encounter some different usage and spelling than you're
used to seeing here in the states. Could we have edited that out? Sure,
and in some spots we did for clarity. But for the most part, I generally
prefer to leave it as written as much as possible, because I enjoy the
different cadences and phrasing that non-US writers sometimes
choose/prefer.
In this anthology, all the stories are centered around one common
theme - the girl on the cover and the leaves she's surrounded by. There
are several genres covered within, and we've also included a few stories
with a more literary bent as well as some poetic prose (which, if you
haven't read much of, you really should - it's beautiful).
Whether you read merely to escape life for awhile, or to gain a
different perspective or both, I'd encourage you to pick up a copy and
broaden your reading horizons. I hope it will be as pleasant an
experience for you to lose yourself in these stories for a little while
as has been for me.
I'll leave you with an excerpt from my own story in the collection, Lullaby:
You’re breathing too loud. They’ll hear you.
The woman stopped behind a thick tree, her back to the trunk. She leaned over to brace her hands on her knees and drew in a long breath, letting it out slowly only to repeat the process. There wasn’t much time. Even if they couldn’t hear her breathing, they had to be getting close.
Run! Now!
With one last deep breath and a quick glance in all directions, she sprinted forward with no particular destination in mind.
Away. Must stay away.
It was impossible to move quietly through the colorful fall leaves. They crunched and floated around her feet as she ran, cheerfully calling out to her pursuers. The wind was her only hope, sifting almost constantly through the thick canopy above to direct an orchestra of sound and light that absorbed the cacophony underfoot.
It had been three weeks since they’d taken her. Twenty-one marks on a cold dirt cellar wall, fighting off rats of various sizes. She hadn’t been able to beat them all.
Embrace the pain.
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction | Brazen Bites
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note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 26, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 10
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 10
Erik moved quietly through the concrete and steel rooms, trying to stay out of sight as he let the voices guide him. Gun held up and ready, he felt the adrenaline flood his system as he peered around the next corner and saw two male heads bent over a couch. The sofa back blocked his vision, but a navy skirt flew up and landed on the floor, slit at the side.
Quite possibly the same skirt Anna had been wearing earlier.
One of the men looked up and toward another doorway, his frame reminding Erik of the coffee shop guy. When a familiar female face came through the door carrying a small bottle in one hand and a black bag in the other, Erik realized his earlier mistake.
“Police - freeze!”
He came around the corner fast, his gun trained on Will. The man didn’t even flinch, but merely smiled.
“Nice of you to join us, Detective - though I do wish you’d waited another half hour or so. We were just going to have some fun with your girl here.” He gestured to the couch and Erik moved to a better vantage point. Anna lay sprawled across the cushions nearly naked, her eyes closed as if she was sleeping peacefully. He checked that her chest was still rising and falling.
Snapping his head up, Erik returned his attention to Will.
“What did you do to her? Did you drug her?”
Will held his hands up and shrugged. “Technically, Carson drugged her earlier, but that wore off. Kailey shocked her a little, is all. She’ll be fine. But I’m glad you’re here. There’s a little issue we need to clear up, you and I.”
Carson edged closer to Kailey, and Erik shook his head, stopping the man. For now.
“What issue would that be?” Erik fought the urge to glance over at Anna. As long as he knew where the bad guys were, that was all that mattered.
Will chuckled. “The issue that you keep trying to catch me. I’m afraid I just can’t let you do that, and I suspect the only way to stop you is to kill you.”
“Have you forgotten who has the gun here? Backup is on the way. You’ll all be in jail within the next hour or so. Game over.”
Carson and Kailey grinned at each other as Will laughed. “Did you really think it would be that easy?” He backed up a step, stopping when Erik shook his head, but lowering his hands.
“I’m sorry Detective, but I’m afraid it’s time for us to go, and time for you to try to save your lovely friend over there. Though I’m afraid the damage may be too much for her considering the whole barrel incident earlier.”
“Don’t move, any of you,” Erik said, just as something popped loudly behind him, followed by a sharp cry of pain. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he glanced back at Anna in time to see her roll off the couch as flames engulfed the dingy upholstery. Erik swore as he took in the scene, decided she was far enough away to avoid more damage and turned back to squeeze the trigger where Will had been standing.
All three were gone.
“Fuck.” He ran to Anna and pulled her farther away from the fire, noting the reddened area on her back, and fresh scrapes and cuts on her ribs, arms and legs.
“Erik?” She opened her eyes as he lifted her into his arms as carefully as he could. “Where’s Will? Did you get them?”
“‘Fraid not,” he said, retracing his steps through the warehouse as quickly as he dared. ”What did they do to you? Are you...did they...”
“I’ll be fine.” She pushed against his chest, struggling in his grasp. “Put me down. Where are they? It was a trap - they want to kill you. Where did they go?”
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 10
Erik moved quietly through the concrete and steel rooms, trying to stay out of sight as he let the voices guide him. Gun held up and ready, he felt the adrenaline flood his system as he peered around the next corner and saw two male heads bent over a couch. The sofa back blocked his vision, but a navy skirt flew up and landed on the floor, slit at the side.
Quite possibly the same skirt Anna had been wearing earlier.
One of the men looked up and toward another doorway, his frame reminding Erik of the coffee shop guy. When a familiar female face came through the door carrying a small bottle in one hand and a black bag in the other, Erik realized his earlier mistake.
“Police - freeze!”
He came around the corner fast, his gun trained on Will. The man didn’t even flinch, but merely smiled.
“Nice of you to join us, Detective - though I do wish you’d waited another half hour or so. We were just going to have some fun with your girl here.” He gestured to the couch and Erik moved to a better vantage point. Anna lay sprawled across the cushions nearly naked, her eyes closed as if she was sleeping peacefully. He checked that her chest was still rising and falling.
Snapping his head up, Erik returned his attention to Will.
“What did you do to her? Did you drug her?”
Will held his hands up and shrugged. “Technically, Carson drugged her earlier, but that wore off. Kailey shocked her a little, is all. She’ll be fine. But I’m glad you’re here. There’s a little issue we need to clear up, you and I.”
Carson edged closer to Kailey, and Erik shook his head, stopping the man. For now.
“What issue would that be?” Erik fought the urge to glance over at Anna. As long as he knew where the bad guys were, that was all that mattered.
Will chuckled. “The issue that you keep trying to catch me. I’m afraid I just can’t let you do that, and I suspect the only way to stop you is to kill you.”
“Have you forgotten who has the gun here? Backup is on the way. You’ll all be in jail within the next hour or so. Game over.”
Carson and Kailey grinned at each other as Will laughed. “Did you really think it would be that easy?” He backed up a step, stopping when Erik shook his head, but lowering his hands.
“I’m sorry Detective, but I’m afraid it’s time for us to go, and time for you to try to save your lovely friend over there. Though I’m afraid the damage may be too much for her considering the whole barrel incident earlier.”
“Don’t move, any of you,” Erik said, just as something popped loudly behind him, followed by a sharp cry of pain. Unable to restrain himself any longer, he glanced back at Anna in time to see her roll off the couch as flames engulfed the dingy upholstery. Erik swore as he took in the scene, decided she was far enough away to avoid more damage and turned back to squeeze the trigger where Will had been standing.
All three were gone.
“Fuck.” He ran to Anna and pulled her farther away from the fire, noting the reddened area on her back, and fresh scrapes and cuts on her ribs, arms and legs.
“Erik?” She opened her eyes as he lifted her into his arms as carefully as he could. “Where’s Will? Did you get them?”
“‘Fraid not,” he said, retracing his steps through the warehouse as quickly as he dared. ”What did they do to you? Are you...did they...”
“I’ll be fine.” She pushed against his chest, struggling in his grasp. “Put me down. Where are they? It was a trap - they want to kill you. Where did they go?”
Enjoy
this post? Support your author:
Romantic Suspense
| Erotic Romance | Suspense/Thriller
| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
**Please
note - If this is your first time posting, your comment
will be moderated. Once you have been approved, future comments will post automatically.
September 24, 2012
On Shed Building, Corn Mazes and TV Premiere Week
Prompt o' the Week: There's a bulletin board
in a subway tunnel, open for anyone who wants to post there. Two people
have been corresponding there for months, never meeting one another, but
leaving light, flirtatious messages to be answered whenever the other
comes by. The last note left is different, and draws public attention...
Yes, this is the weekly news, goals & prompt post, I'm just
tired of the same old title every week. So from now on, better titles.
Yay!
It's hard to realize that 1) I'm not as young as I used to be, and 2) I'm not as fearless as I used to be.
This past weekend hubby and I had one goal - to finish the
shed/workshop we're building. That basically means roofing the thing.
Unfortunately, we made the pitch of the roof so steep it's impossible to
stand or balance on, and when it came right down to it, neither of us
had the guts to actually get up there and do what needed to be done.
Granted, we were both really tired from all the other work we did on the
shed the previous two days, and we're amateurs who don't know what
we're doing, but it's still disappointing.
We entertained the idea of calling in professionals, but then
realized that the roof boards aren't even nailed down at the top because
when the guys were putting them up, no one was brave enough *then* to
get up there either. And we can't really turn over a roof that's not
even properly nailed down to someone else. So we're going to wait a
couple weeks and try again, this time armed with better knowledge of
creating braces to stand on, etc, that will make the job both possible
and safer.
Aye karumba.
We also went through a local corn maze on Friday night - surprising
how much prices have gone up just to get lost in a cornfield for a few
hours, but it was fun, and great exercise too. We did have to get a hint
to make it out, but it's pretty amazing how two little words can make
all the difference. Not unlike the clues in a mystery novel, eh? It's
also amazing how the moon really is bright enough, even just a sliver of
it, to see at night...*if* silly kids don't run through shining their
flashlights right in your eyes. Sometimes turning into the moonlight, I
almost could have used my shades it was so bright. I do love being out
at night, and there's nothing more deliciously spooky and inspiring than
tall stalks of dried corn whispering in the wind as you walk through...
In writing news, Listen to the Leaves - the anthology I've
been compiling/editing is done! The official release is this coming
Friday, and I hope you'll all pick up a copy because the stories are
just incredible. More on that later in the week...
I had a pretty lofty list of goals for last week, and I
accomplished most of them, but this whole shed project is just taking up
all of my weekends (and part of Friday too last week). Which is fine,
but it does mean I'm running a bit behind. We can't work on the shed
next weekend (hubby's on call for work), so that will help, but this
week is premiere week on TV, and that just might cut into my evening
work time a bit...so we'll see.
What am I so anxious to watch? So glad you asked.
Monday: The Voice (1 hr...why does it need to be
2?), The Mob Doctor & Castle (Castle!!!) (I'd give Revolution
another chance, but it's opposite Castle, so that's a no-brainer)
Tuesday: NCIS
Wednesday: Criminal Minds
Thursday: Person of Interest, Elementary
Friday: Grimm
Sunday: Once Upon a Time, and either 666 Park
Avenue or The Mentalist (they're opposite each other, and we haven't
decided whether to give up on The Mentalist just yet or not)...
So...yeah. Awesome TV week. I may even be on twitter more than usual...
Speaking of good TV...I watched the new Conan the Barbarian last
night (free for Amazon Prime - I was doing my nails). After all the
"meh" and "boo" reviews, I expected not to like it, but honestly, I
think I liked it more than Ah-nold's version (to be fair, it's been a
long time since I saw that one). Simple plot, easy to follow, fabulous
scenery and serious eye-candy too. Very nice. I know a lot of people
prefer the sweeping epic adventures, but it's nice sometimes not to have
to keep track of a million characters and plots. Simplicity isn't
always a bad thing, IMO.
What's going on this week (aside from all the TV watching, that is)? Let's see:
- Finish up the cover art for the new anthology call (I am *so* late with this...gah)
- Launch the new anthology (of course)
- Print formatting & upload for RMSM (finally - good grief)
- Four serial scenes (including the story I *meant* to start last week, and didn't)
- Revisions to a horror short so I can send it to my editor
- It would be awesome if I could finish off one of those other short serial stories I have going...
- Some clean-up work on the BSB sites
- Head to the gym I just joined twice this week and get back to swimming
- Get another review posted this Friday, and work on cleaning out my "current reads" category on my kindle.
That's more than enough, I think. I really, really need to vacuum too.
So...are you a TV fan like me? What shows are you looking forward to this week?
in a subway tunnel, open for anyone who wants to post there. Two people
have been corresponding there for months, never meeting one another, but
leaving light, flirtatious messages to be answered whenever the other
comes by. The last note left is different, and draws public attention...
Yes, this is the weekly news, goals & prompt post, I'm just
tired of the same old title every week. So from now on, better titles.
Yay!
It's hard to realize that 1) I'm not as young as I used to be, and 2) I'm not as fearless as I used to be.
This past weekend hubby and I had one goal - to finish the
shed/workshop we're building. That basically means roofing the thing.
Unfortunately, we made the pitch of the roof so steep it's impossible to
stand or balance on, and when it came right down to it, neither of us
had the guts to actually get up there and do what needed to be done.
Granted, we were both really tired from all the other work we did on the
shed the previous two days, and we're amateurs who don't know what
we're doing, but it's still disappointing.
We entertained the idea of calling in professionals, but then
realized that the roof boards aren't even nailed down at the top because
when the guys were putting them up, no one was brave enough *then* to
get up there either. And we can't really turn over a roof that's not
even properly nailed down to someone else. So we're going to wait a
couple weeks and try again, this time armed with better knowledge of
creating braces to stand on, etc, that will make the job both possible
and safer.
Aye karumba.
We also went through a local corn maze on Friday night - surprising
how much prices have gone up just to get lost in a cornfield for a few
hours, but it was fun, and great exercise too. We did have to get a hint
to make it out, but it's pretty amazing how two little words can make
all the difference. Not unlike the clues in a mystery novel, eh? It's
also amazing how the moon really is bright enough, even just a sliver of
it, to see at night...*if* silly kids don't run through shining their
flashlights right in your eyes. Sometimes turning into the moonlight, I
almost could have used my shades it was so bright. I do love being out
at night, and there's nothing more deliciously spooky and inspiring than
tall stalks of dried corn whispering in the wind as you walk through...
In writing news, Listen to the Leaves - the anthology I've
been compiling/editing is done! The official release is this coming
Friday, and I hope you'll all pick up a copy because the stories are
just incredible. More on that later in the week...
I had a pretty lofty list of goals for last week, and I
accomplished most of them, but this whole shed project is just taking up
all of my weekends (and part of Friday too last week). Which is fine,
but it does mean I'm running a bit behind. We can't work on the shed
next weekend (hubby's on call for work), so that will help, but this
week is premiere week on TV, and that just might cut into my evening
work time a bit...so we'll see.
What am I so anxious to watch? So glad you asked.
Monday: The Voice (1 hr...why does it need to be
2?), The Mob Doctor & Castle (Castle!!!) (I'd give Revolution
another chance, but it's opposite Castle, so that's a no-brainer)
Tuesday: NCIS
Wednesday: Criminal Minds
Thursday: Person of Interest, Elementary
Friday: Grimm
Sunday: Once Upon a Time, and either 666 Park
Avenue or The Mentalist (they're opposite each other, and we haven't
decided whether to give up on The Mentalist just yet or not)...
So...yeah. Awesome TV week. I may even be on twitter more than usual...
Speaking of good TV...I watched the new Conan the Barbarian last
night (free for Amazon Prime - I was doing my nails). After all the
"meh" and "boo" reviews, I expected not to like it, but honestly, I
think I liked it more than Ah-nold's version (to be fair, it's been a
long time since I saw that one). Simple plot, easy to follow, fabulous
scenery and serious eye-candy too. Very nice. I know a lot of people
prefer the sweeping epic adventures, but it's nice sometimes not to have
to keep track of a million characters and plots. Simplicity isn't
always a bad thing, IMO.
What's going on this week (aside from all the TV watching, that is)? Let's see:
- Finish up the cover art for the new anthology call (I am *so* late with this...gah)
- Launch the new anthology (of course)
- Print formatting & upload for RMSM (finally - good grief)
- Four serial scenes (including the story I *meant* to start last week, and didn't)
- Revisions to a horror short so I can send it to my editor
- It would be awesome if I could finish off one of those other short serial stories I have going...
- Some clean-up work on the BSB sites
- Head to the gym I just joined twice this week and get back to swimming
- Get another review posted this Friday, and work on cleaning out my "current reads" category on my kindle.
That's more than enough, I think. I really, really need to vacuum too.
So...are you a TV fan like me? What shows are you looking forward to this week?
Enjoy
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September 20, 2012
Writer's Notes: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 9
So...here's a pickle, eh? Anna's pretty much screwed unless Erik gets to
her ASAP. Although I suppose she could save herself, but she is an
accountant. I have nothing against accountants - they're smart people,
but they tend not to be terribly creative when it comes to high-pressure
situations (yes, I do know several). And poor Anna's been through the
ringer, quite literally! I mean, a girl can't be expected to save
herself after being stuffed in a barrel, falling off a truck, rolling
down the street and crashing into a tree hard enough to break the
barrel, right?
That's asking just a little too much. She's not superwoman.
Besides,
there's a hunky detective on his way who's feeling rather guilty and
protective at the moment. Ladies, we need to let men have the spotlight
occasionally, don't you think?
He'd better
frickin' hurry though. Or someone else will have to save Anna. Or she'll
save herself. In which case, I doubt she'll be much fun at that dinner
he's supposed to attend with her.
Well, if she recovers enough to go, anyways.
Dang it - did I just completely screw up my ending with that barrel thing?
Crap.
her ASAP. Although I suppose she could save herself, but she is an
accountant. I have nothing against accountants - they're smart people,
but they tend not to be terribly creative when it comes to high-pressure
situations (yes, I do know several). And poor Anna's been through the
ringer, quite literally! I mean, a girl can't be expected to save
herself after being stuffed in a barrel, falling off a truck, rolling
down the street and crashing into a tree hard enough to break the
barrel, right?
That's asking just a little too much. She's not superwoman.
Besides,
there's a hunky detective on his way who's feeling rather guilty and
protective at the moment. Ladies, we need to let men have the spotlight
occasionally, don't you think?
He'd better
frickin' hurry though. Or someone else will have to save Anna. Or she'll
save herself. In which case, I doubt she'll be much fun at that dinner
he's supposed to attend with her.
Well, if she recovers enough to go, anyways.
Dang it - did I just completely screw up my ending with that barrel thing?
Crap.
Enjoy
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September 19, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 9
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 9
Hoping Erik could trace the call with the cell phone under the cushions of the dirty couch, Anna whimpered as the guy from the kiosk grabbed one arm and dragged her to her feet. She wasn’t sure how badly she was hurt, but it would be easier to list the parts of her that didn’t.
After she’d broken free of the barrel, the men had brought her inside and dumped her on the grungy piece of furniture while they moved into the next room. Twice she’d tried to get up and failed - her legs were shaking too badly. Then she’d noticed the phone on the big wooden spool clearly used as a table, and called Erik. Sometimes her knack for remembering numbers came in very handy.
Trying valiantly to remain upright now, she finally looked hard at the second man, her eyes widening.
“You really are the Chai Killer?”
Will rolled his eyes. “I really hate that nickname. I don’t kill people with tea. That would be stupid. I generally prefer to draw things out a bit, play for awhile. Kaily and John here help sometimes.” He twisted slightly, frowning over his shoulder.
“Kaily? Get in here or we’ll start without you!” He gave Anna an apologetic look. “You weren’t supposed to be a victim, for the record. Or not until I saw you getting all cozy with the cop, anyways.”
Anna swayed on her feet, holding to John’s arm like a lifeline. “So why then? If you’d just let me go, he would have moved on, and you could have...well, he would have moved on.”
Will shrugged. “Let’s just say he was a little too close for comfort.”
“Liar.”
Anna looked past Will to see a tall, lanky woman in a professional skirt and heels walk in, the clicks from her shoes echoing off the high metal walls. She stopped beside will, who put one arm around her waist and pulled her close.
“What do you mean?” he said, chuckling. “That cop was right on our tail. Until he saw yours, anyways.” They both laughed, and Anna glanced at John, who shook his head and started to move away. She held on tighter, but he pushed her off and she landed hard on the floor, crying out as her hip hit the concrete.
“What the hell, John?” Kaily knelt down and helped her sit up, brushing her hair off Anna’s face with one hand. “Don’t worry, honey. We’re not all animals,” she murmured, her fingers drifting down Anna’s neck to trace the vee of her ripped shirt.
Anna quivered, trying to process this new bit of information. It appeared that the men weren’t the only people interested in assaulting her body. Her fears were confirmed when Kaily’s long finger slipped over to caress the side of Anna’s breast.
Anna’s head spun. Light-headed, she let herself fall back to the floor, her eyes closed and her body slack.
“What did you do?” She heard Will’s voice, as if he was speaking through a tunnel.
“Nothing, I swear! I think she fainted,” Kaily said, disappointment in her tone. “They’re no fun to play with if they’re not awake. You guys get her clothes off, and put her on the couch. I’ll go get the smelling salts. And a few other things I thought might be fun.”
Hurry Erik, Anna thought just before she passed out.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 9
Hoping Erik could trace the call with the cell phone under the cushions of the dirty couch, Anna whimpered as the guy from the kiosk grabbed one arm and dragged her to her feet. She wasn’t sure how badly she was hurt, but it would be easier to list the parts of her that didn’t.
After she’d broken free of the barrel, the men had brought her inside and dumped her on the grungy piece of furniture while they moved into the next room. Twice she’d tried to get up and failed - her legs were shaking too badly. Then she’d noticed the phone on the big wooden spool clearly used as a table, and called Erik. Sometimes her knack for remembering numbers came in very handy.
Trying valiantly to remain upright now, she finally looked hard at the second man, her eyes widening.
“You really are the Chai Killer?”
Will rolled his eyes. “I really hate that nickname. I don’t kill people with tea. That would be stupid. I generally prefer to draw things out a bit, play for awhile. Kaily and John here help sometimes.” He twisted slightly, frowning over his shoulder.
“Kaily? Get in here or we’ll start without you!” He gave Anna an apologetic look. “You weren’t supposed to be a victim, for the record. Or not until I saw you getting all cozy with the cop, anyways.”
Anna swayed on her feet, holding to John’s arm like a lifeline. “So why then? If you’d just let me go, he would have moved on, and you could have...well, he would have moved on.”
Will shrugged. “Let’s just say he was a little too close for comfort.”
“Liar.”
Anna looked past Will to see a tall, lanky woman in a professional skirt and heels walk in, the clicks from her shoes echoing off the high metal walls. She stopped beside will, who put one arm around her waist and pulled her close.
“What do you mean?” he said, chuckling. “That cop was right on our tail. Until he saw yours, anyways.” They both laughed, and Anna glanced at John, who shook his head and started to move away. She held on tighter, but he pushed her off and she landed hard on the floor, crying out as her hip hit the concrete.
“What the hell, John?” Kaily knelt down and helped her sit up, brushing her hair off Anna’s face with one hand. “Don’t worry, honey. We’re not all animals,” she murmured, her fingers drifting down Anna’s neck to trace the vee of her ripped shirt.
Anna quivered, trying to process this new bit of information. It appeared that the men weren’t the only people interested in assaulting her body. Her fears were confirmed when Kaily’s long finger slipped over to caress the side of Anna’s breast.
Anna’s head spun. Light-headed, she let herself fall back to the floor, her eyes closed and her body slack.
“What did you do?” She heard Will’s voice, as if he was speaking through a tunnel.
“Nothing, I swear! I think she fainted,” Kaily said, disappointment in her tone. “They’re no fun to play with if they’re not awake. You guys get her clothes off, and put her on the couch. I’ll go get the smelling salts. And a few other things I thought might be fun.”
Hurry Erik, Anna thought just before she passed out.
Enjoy
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September 17, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt - Sept. 17, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A hiker picks out a spot
to bury a metal box, and starts to dig. When the hole is deep enough,
the hiker kneels down and places the box in the hole, then notices a
shiny metal object embedded in one of the clay walls near the bottom...
I love fall. I love wearing sweatshirts, I love when the leaves
start turning colors, and I love getting ready for Halloween. Our local
Spirit Halloween store opened this past weekend, and yeah, we were
there. We're not even having a party this year, but we're still doing
the yard haunt, and naturally we needed more fun props for *that*...and
of course we bought some things that won't go outside too. They're
inside props, and the type of props we just keep out as normal house
decor all year round. Very fun...I'm hanging a skull on a big red bow on
the front door this week, and getting out my clock that moans or
screams every daylight hour soon.
We also worked more on the shed this weekend - hubby and his
buddies got the roof sheeted on Saturday, and then he and I started the
siding on Sunday. We may actually finish it one of these days.
Exciting!
Writing/publishing wise, I finished a short story (horror) this
weekend (still needs edits and a cover), and I also finished the print
formatting & cover for the new anthology coming out on the 28th.
It's uploaded and ready to be printed, so I'll be ordering author and
review copies this week. I'm incredibly pleased with how it turned
out...I hope it does well.
So...what's next? Well, let's make a list, shall we?
- Finish ebook formatting for anthology and send out author copies
- Print formatting/upload for RMSM
- Cover art and editing for the finished horror short
- Start new horror short in the series (a Halloween themed story!)
- Three more serial scenes for stories in progress
- Help finish up the shed next weekend (fingers crossed!)
- Cover art and submissions call (finally!) for the winter anthology
And that's about all I can handle, methinks! Oh wait. I want to try
to make chocolate pudding out of chocolate milk and ground chia seeds
too. But I'm pretty sure I'll remember that without it being officially
on the list...
Here's to fall, and another cooler, productive week...
to bury a metal box, and starts to dig. When the hole is deep enough,
the hiker kneels down and places the box in the hole, then notices a
shiny metal object embedded in one of the clay walls near the bottom...
I love fall. I love wearing sweatshirts, I love when the leaves
start turning colors, and I love getting ready for Halloween. Our local
Spirit Halloween store opened this past weekend, and yeah, we were
there. We're not even having a party this year, but we're still doing
the yard haunt, and naturally we needed more fun props for *that*...and
of course we bought some things that won't go outside too. They're
inside props, and the type of props we just keep out as normal house
decor all year round. Very fun...I'm hanging a skull on a big red bow on
the front door this week, and getting out my clock that moans or
screams every daylight hour soon.
We also worked more on the shed this weekend - hubby and his
buddies got the roof sheeted on Saturday, and then he and I started the
siding on Sunday. We may actually finish it one of these days.
Exciting!
Writing/publishing wise, I finished a short story (horror) this
weekend (still needs edits and a cover), and I also finished the print
formatting & cover for the new anthology coming out on the 28th.
It's uploaded and ready to be printed, so I'll be ordering author and
review copies this week. I'm incredibly pleased with how it turned
out...I hope it does well.
So...what's next? Well, let's make a list, shall we?
- Finish ebook formatting for anthology and send out author copies
- Print formatting/upload for RMSM
- Cover art and editing for the finished horror short
- Start new horror short in the series (a Halloween themed story!)
- Three more serial scenes for stories in progress
- Help finish up the shed next weekend (fingers crossed!)
- Cover art and submissions call (finally!) for the winter anthology
And that's about all I can handle, methinks! Oh wait. I want to try
to make chocolate pudding out of chocolate milk and ground chia seeds
too. But I'm pretty sure I'll remember that without it being officially
on the list...
Here's to fall, and another cooler, productive week...
Enjoy
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Romantic Suspense
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| Flash Fiction | Non-Fiction
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September 13, 2012
Writer's Notes: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 8
Okay, this chapter was weird (gives you confidence in me when I
admit that, doesn't it? It's the truth, so...). I'm not at all sure that
it was supposed to go this way, but we'll run with it for now. There's
definitely something "off" about it though that will need to be fixed in
revisions.
Such is writing, I suppose. We all have our off days...
Well, and I've been just a wee bit distracted by the new Kindle Paperwhite. Because having to wait a month for the new gadget to arrive is just sadistic on Amazon's part. Seriously - tapping my nails on my desk is *not* good for them, Bezos!
*sigh*
admit that, doesn't it? It's the truth, so...). I'm not at all sure that
it was supposed to go this way, but we'll run with it for now. There's
definitely something "off" about it though that will need to be fixed in
revisions.
Such is writing, I suppose. We all have our off days...
Well, and I've been just a wee bit distracted by the new Kindle Paperwhite. Because having to wait a month for the new gadget to arrive is just sadistic on Amazon's part. Seriously - tapping my nails on my desk is *not* good for them, Bezos!
*sigh*
Enjoy
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September 12, 2012
Serial Story: Fit to be Chai-ed, Ch. 8
New chapters posted every Wednesday in draft form.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 8
Erik shut his bike down in front of Anna’s house and swung his leg off just as his cell phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number.
“Hansen.” The line was quiet for a moment, and then a whisper.
“Det - Erik? It’s Anna. You can find me with a cell signal, right?”
He frowned, his pulse racing. “Where are you? Are you okay? What hap--”
“I don’t have time - they’re coming back. I’ll leave this on so you can track it, but hurry! It’s you they want, not--”
The line went dead, and Erik shouted her name as he heard the faint sound of a whimper fading away.
“Damn it!” He hesitated for a second, not wanting to sever the connection but knowing he had to. Disconnecting the call, he punched a number in and waited impatiently for Cal Monte, lab geek to pick up.
“I don’t have a lot of time to explain,” he said, straddling his bike again and placing the key in the ignition. “You need to trace the cell phone number I’m sending you right away. I’ll be at the station in ten minutes.”
Without giving him a chance to respond, Erik hung up and texted Cal the number Anna had called from. Sliding the phone back into his pocket, he roared away from the curb, burning rubber as he squealed around the corner and onto a main through-fare. Convincing the captain wasn’t going to be easy, but he’d need backup, and lots of it.
When he walked into the precinct, Captain Myers was waiting by his desk with Cal.
“Sounds like we need to talk,” Myers said, taking the paper Cal tried to hand Erik. “What’s going on?”
“Thanks,” Erik told Cal. The tech nodded, raising his eyebrows before he hurried off. Turning to the Captain, Erik figured the direct approach would be best at this point.
“I recruited a civilian to help test that lead we had...”
“You did what? Of all the--”
Erik held up a hand. “I know. Believe me. But he’s got her now, and she called and Cal traced the number. We need to go in now if we want to catch this guy. I need back--”
Captain Myers shook his head. “We’re not going anywhere until I have more information. Do you know it’s the Chai killer? How do you know she’s not just some chick with a fantasy trying to get a cop to rescue her? Did you see her get snatched?”
Erik exhaled slowly. “I’m pretty sure it’s him, since that’s who we were looking for in the first place. Anna’s an accountant - she’s too practical for fantasy games. And no, I didn’t see it happen, but I heard her voice. She was scared, Captain - she wasn’t playing. She said something about him wanting me.”
The captain shook his head. “I’m still not sure I believe this is anything more than a hoax. I’ll send Daniels and Smith to check it out. You can hand over your badge and your gun for doing something so colossally stupid like putting a civilian in harm’s way. You’re suspended until I can figure out how to deal with it.” He held out his hand, palm up, his expression stern.
Erik wanted to argue, but he wanted to get to Anna more. With quick, efficient movements he handed his gun and badge over, stepping close enough to peek at the address on the report from Cal.
“Whatever,” he said, backing away. “I’ll find her myself.”
“Don’t you dare go near that warehouse,” Myers yelled as Erik strode towards the door. “That’s an order!”
Erik half-waved over his shoulder, shoving through the front door. He could hear the Captain shouting more orders as he got on his bike, the sound muted when he fired up the engine. No way was he leaving Anna to fend for herself with two newbie detectives on the case. If her captors wanted him, they’d get him.
He pulled out into traffic and hit the throttle, heading towards the warehouse district. He just hoped he wouldn’t be too late.
Previous Chapters
Fit to be Chai-ed
Chapter 8
Erik shut his bike down in front of Anna’s house and swung his leg off just as his cell phone rang. He didn’t recognize the number.
“Hansen.” The line was quiet for a moment, and then a whisper.
“Det - Erik? It’s Anna. You can find me with a cell signal, right?”
He frowned, his pulse racing. “Where are you? Are you okay? What hap--”
“I don’t have time - they’re coming back. I’ll leave this on so you can track it, but hurry! It’s you they want, not--”
The line went dead, and Erik shouted her name as he heard the faint sound of a whimper fading away.
“Damn it!” He hesitated for a second, not wanting to sever the connection but knowing he had to. Disconnecting the call, he punched a number in and waited impatiently for Cal Monte, lab geek to pick up.
“I don’t have a lot of time to explain,” he said, straddling his bike again and placing the key in the ignition. “You need to trace the cell phone number I’m sending you right away. I’ll be at the station in ten minutes.”
Without giving him a chance to respond, Erik hung up and texted Cal the number Anna had called from. Sliding the phone back into his pocket, he roared away from the curb, burning rubber as he squealed around the corner and onto a main through-fare. Convincing the captain wasn’t going to be easy, but he’d need backup, and lots of it.
When he walked into the precinct, Captain Myers was waiting by his desk with Cal.
“Sounds like we need to talk,” Myers said, taking the paper Cal tried to hand Erik. “What’s going on?”
“Thanks,” Erik told Cal. The tech nodded, raising his eyebrows before he hurried off. Turning to the Captain, Erik figured the direct approach would be best at this point.
“I recruited a civilian to help test that lead we had...”
“You did what? Of all the--”
Erik held up a hand. “I know. Believe me. But he’s got her now, and she called and Cal traced the number. We need to go in now if we want to catch this guy. I need back--”
Captain Myers shook his head. “We’re not going anywhere until I have more information. Do you know it’s the Chai killer? How do you know she’s not just some chick with a fantasy trying to get a cop to rescue her? Did you see her get snatched?”
Erik exhaled slowly. “I’m pretty sure it’s him, since that’s who we were looking for in the first place. Anna’s an accountant - she’s too practical for fantasy games. And no, I didn’t see it happen, but I heard her voice. She was scared, Captain - she wasn’t playing. She said something about him wanting me.”
The captain shook his head. “I’m still not sure I believe this is anything more than a hoax. I’ll send Daniels and Smith to check it out. You can hand over your badge and your gun for doing something so colossally stupid like putting a civilian in harm’s way. You’re suspended until I can figure out how to deal with it.” He held out his hand, palm up, his expression stern.
Erik wanted to argue, but he wanted to get to Anna more. With quick, efficient movements he handed his gun and badge over, stepping close enough to peek at the address on the report from Cal.
“Whatever,” he said, backing away. “I’ll find her myself.”
“Don’t you dare go near that warehouse,” Myers yelled as Erik strode towards the door. “That’s an order!”
Erik half-waved over his shoulder, shoving through the front door. He could hear the Captain shouting more orders as he got on his bike, the sound muted when he fired up the engine. No way was he leaving Anna to fend for herself with two newbie detectives on the case. If her captors wanted him, they’d get him.
He pulled out into traffic and hit the throttle, heading towards the warehouse district. He just hoped he wouldn’t be too late.
Enjoy
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September 10, 2012
Weekly News, Goals & Prompt, Sept. 10, 2012
Prompt o' the Week: A woman is looking for her cat, who failed
to come home that night. She knocks on doors in the neighborhood,
asking if anyone's seen the animal. At the end of the block, she passes
up the run-down property notorious for being haunted, but as she's
walking by the gate, she sees a man sitting on the front steps, petting a
cat...
What is it about fall that brings on
the craziness? I mean, normally I'm planning a big party, but we're
skipping that this year in favor of a vacation. We don't have kids, so
shouldn't this be just like any other time of year for us?
Apparently
not. Last week was really long, considering it was actually one day
short. Much stress made me happy to see it go. This weekend was okay,
but far too random for me to get anything much done, which I hate. I'm
writing this on Sunday, so unfortunately you're getting my "annoyed by
lack of routine" attitude (for which I apologize), but hopefully Monday
will be more on par with "normal". I am *so* ready for normal...
Anyways...
Due
to the stress last week (much of it dog-related), I didn't get nearly
as much done as I'd hoped. Now that *that* seems to be alleviated
(mostly), perhaps I can focus after the day job and actually be
productive. Here's what needs to be done by Friday:
- RMSM formatted and uploaded for print.
- Anthology formatted and uploaded for print, with author copies ordered
- Winter anthology cover done, call for submissions posted
- Normal serial scenes
- Thriller cover (considering the story's almost done)
- One other scene for Christmas story
- Make sure hubby doesn't die finishing up the shed project (you think I'm joking, don't you?)
-
Refrain from harming the second-youngest neighbor kid (who seems to
think communication can only occur at pitches closer to a dog whistle
than actual human speech)
And with that, I'll
end my curmudgeonly little post, with the promise to be brighter and
sun-shinier next week. Unless you prefer this
whole sarcastically annoyed thing. 'Cause I could totally do that again,
if you'd prefer...
Here's to a good week, eh? *crosses fingers & toes*
to come home that night. She knocks on doors in the neighborhood,
asking if anyone's seen the animal. At the end of the block, she passes
up the run-down property notorious for being haunted, but as she's
walking by the gate, she sees a man sitting on the front steps, petting a
cat...
What is it about fall that brings on
the craziness? I mean, normally I'm planning a big party, but we're
skipping that this year in favor of a vacation. We don't have kids, so
shouldn't this be just like any other time of year for us?
Apparently
not. Last week was really long, considering it was actually one day
short. Much stress made me happy to see it go. This weekend was okay,
but far too random for me to get anything much done, which I hate. I'm
writing this on Sunday, so unfortunately you're getting my "annoyed by
lack of routine" attitude (for which I apologize), but hopefully Monday
will be more on par with "normal". I am *so* ready for normal...
Anyways...
Due
to the stress last week (much of it dog-related), I didn't get nearly
as much done as I'd hoped. Now that *that* seems to be alleviated
(mostly), perhaps I can focus after the day job and actually be
productive. Here's what needs to be done by Friday:
- RMSM formatted and uploaded for print.
- Anthology formatted and uploaded for print, with author copies ordered
- Winter anthology cover done, call for submissions posted
- Normal serial scenes
- Thriller cover (considering the story's almost done)
- One other scene for Christmas story
- Make sure hubby doesn't die finishing up the shed project (you think I'm joking, don't you?)
-
Refrain from harming the second-youngest neighbor kid (who seems to
think communication can only occur at pitches closer to a dog whistle
than actual human speech)
And with that, I'll
end my curmudgeonly little post, with the promise to be brighter and
sun-shinier next week. Unless you prefer this
whole sarcastically annoyed thing. 'Cause I could totally do that again,
if you'd prefer...
Here's to a good week, eh? *crosses fingers & toes*
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